Technical Field
The embodiments as disclosed herein are in the field of stand-alone power systems and, in particular, a stand-alone DC power network that maintains consistent voltages at key locations over long periods of time.
Description of the Related Art
The electrical power grid is still far from covering many locations in a number of emerging countries, even though wide sources of energy are easily available. For example, there are many stand-alone systems which generate electricity from wind, solar power, and biomass, as well as local generators and other sources. Such isolated systems form a stand-alone grid which provides power for a local community which may vary in size from two to three homes up to several dozen homes. The systems to interface with these power sources are complex in today's environment, and contain batteries, numerous inverters, various voltage surge protections, and other expensive components. Accordingly, such stand-alone, small, isolated grids become expensive and are difficult to maintain, particularly in harsh environments. It would therefore be desirable to have an interface with a stand-alone grid which is reliable, low-cost, and easy to maintain.